The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-10-15
THE PERSIAN DERBY.
St. James Gazette.

It is a rather poetical idea to have a circular race-course, the center of which shall be occupied by garden a garden from which shouting, howl ing public shall be rigidly excluded a garden to which 3ne can flee from the heat, noise and dust of the race course to leaty shades and the noise of falling waters. This idea Nussir-u- deen, Asylum of the Universe, and King of Kings, has carried out at Te- heran.
 The Teheran races are public holi- day, and we'll worth seeing. The whole capital turns out: the men around the course itself; while the ramparts of the town, which com- mand a good view of the course, are thronged by thousands of yelled wo- men looking upon the scene. There are no gambling or drinking booths, the three card man is absent, knock 'em-downs are unknown. There are no list-men, not even a welcher and of betting there is none at all. But the Teheran public is going to enjoy itself nevertheless. Fruit and sweet meat sellers there are in abundance, vendors of iced sherbet who in high flown language vaunt the excellence ot the beverage they purvey; peripa- tetic tea sellers, with their bright brass urns fizzing like miniature steam engines, and their rows of gay porce- lain cups; itinerant tobacconists, each of whom has perhaps couple of score of hubble bubbles, the n01ghHe or oriental water pipe, and is surrounded by large circle of customers, all squatting on the ground and all smok- ing away for dear life. The water melon seller, too, does roaring trade ; while lettuces and cucumbers are be- ing devoured on every side. There is not drunken man 10 be seen; for, though the Persian sometimes drinks heavily, he never begins til after dark. The mountebanks and conjurers are numerous. There are men with danc- ing bears; and others with performing monkeys; musicians and ballad d-singers, wrestlers and men who eat fire, con- tortionists and tumblers-all doing good business.
 It is nearly eleven o'clock; the gun which announces his majesty's depart ure from the palace has been heard some quarter of an hour ago: the strains of the royal band begin to re- sound. The royal ladies, carefully yelled, and guarded by numerous eunuchs on horseback, have driven on to the course in their glass coaches and reached their box. The road to the course is lined by soldiers in their best uniforms and it has been carefully watered to lay the dust. The various regiments to be reviewed are formed in separate squares around the course :; for the shah of Persia always treats his subjects to review as well as a race-meeting. There are at least ten thousand soldiers upon the ground, each regiment headed by its band, which discourses loud strains of bar barrie music.
 At last the royal procession makes its appearance. First come the Zam- boureckjis or camel artillery. led by the kettle drummers. The camel artillery are followed by a small guard of mounted police some hun- dred strong. Mounted aide-de- camps career about in every direction. Then comes a solitary horseman bearing an immense gold mace then crowd of running footmen in scarlet and gold, each carrying big silver baton and wearing the ancient Kaianian cap with its jingling bells. These men he oh for fhnfr 0f endurance as runners, and are tried and trusted servants of the king; sev- eral of them invariably run by his horses stirrup whenever he is seen in public. Finally the shah himself ap- pears, mounted on priceless steed, it's neck decorated with big broad band of gold which glitters with gems. The animals tail is dyed a bright crimson, a distinction which is re- served for the horses ot the kings of Persia and their sons. The king wears a coat of cashmerean shawl trimmed with the skins of the black fox. Each button of his coat is a big diamond. At his girdle is 8 circular ornament of precious stones, which, like the scab- bard and hilt of his sword, blazes in the hot sun. His face is very dark, much darker than the faces of the ma- jority of his subjects; and he wears the traditional big black moustache and sports pair of light gold specta- cles. On his neat little black hat is the royal .jika, a sort of plume of dia- monds. He smiles benignly upon his subjects, who bow to the ground in every direction; and he salutes the